Runners' frustration as some wait for refunds following cancellation of Stirling Marathon. 
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Some runners have been left pleading for help after being left to wait for their refund after organisers took the decision to cancel the Stirling marathon.

Enjoyable 10K run this morning in Glasgow for the annual MoRun.  

A time of 43 minutes 40 seconds in tricky underfoot conditions but more importantly a good fundraising day for charity.  

It's September and it's a full month of charity fundraising for Prostate Cancer UK.

Starting on the 1st of the month with my commitment of 11,000 steps each day for March the Month and ending by running the Great Scottish Run Half Marathon in Glasgow.
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So in one week I will take part in the Stirling marathon, or as its been branded this year the Great Stirling Run. The event is now in its 3rd year and it's a scenic marathon starting and finishing in the City of Stirling while taking in the surrounding rolling countryside to the north of the city,  passing through small towns such as Doune, Dunblane and Bridge of Allan where the locals come out in force to support the runners.

Now let me be honest from the beginning, I am no running expert, while I was actively fit playing football at a reasonably competitive youth level up until my late teens, for the next 16-17 years I let myself go, fed up with sport, giving no thought to exercising or what I was eating, I was just being consumed with work and business and as my business developed and grew and I became more office based instead of doing physical work my weight ballooned.

"Our mental health affects the way we think, feel and behave. A mental health problem can feel just as bad, or worse, than any other illness" - SAMH website - www.samh.org.uk

I believe one of the biggest health challenges we currently face in the modern world is also still one of the least talked about and perhaps still thought of as a taboo subject. 

Great work has been undertaken in recent years in raising awareness of mental health and the importance of sufferers talking and seeking help but there's still a long way to go before mental health is taken as seriously as a physical health problem.

I, like many others, face challenges each day, week, month and year with coping with my thoughts in everyday family and business life.

On the days that don't go well for me, it affects my mood, my thoughts and my actions. There have been a few serious low points for me over the years but thankfully I have found and invested in methods and tactics that help me cope.

From meditating, journalling, joining groups, to paper exercises such as asking myself a series of questions about my thoughts I have been able to help ease any major issues I could have had.

One of those methods of coping is running - I have found changing my physical state either with running or a brisk walk to be one of my best tactics to help my mind and thoughts.

Unfortunately there are many people affected by mental health - many people in everyday walks of life who from an outside perspective seem happy, seem successful and seem contented with life.

But on the inside they are not coping with their thoughts. They are in a dark place inside and don't know what to do to help ease their troublesome thoughts.

In recent years there has been an increase in awareness regarding mental health but there is a long way to go before, not only at public level but also at government level, mental health issues are deemed as important as a physical health issue.

This year as part of my Stirling Marathon 26.2 mile challenge I would like to raise awareness and would welcome your support in donating to help the Scottish Association of Mental Health and the work they do to help and care for those affected by mental health.

Please consider donating at www.scottmclean.charity

Thank you for your Support
Scott McLean
www.scottmclean.scot

A brave and inspirational watch as Stephen Fry describes in his own unique way his battle against prostate cancer. 

A message for us all not to ignore any signs and also for regular check ups. 

​Encouraged to hear that his recovery is going well.

​Video from www.stephenfry.com
More information at Prostate Cancer UK
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Please considering supporting Prostate Cancer UK by donating at www.scottmclean.scot

I'm running the Alloa Half Marathon, Stirling Scottish Marathon and the worlds largest half marathon The Great North Run for Prostate Cancer UK.
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Ignoring prostate cancer won't beat it. Prostate Cancer UK has a simple ambition – to stop men dying from prostate cancer. Through shifting the science over the next 10 years we will stop prostate cancer being a killer.

Please consider supporting, not my running efforts, but the future research and those currently fighting Prostate Cancer.

If you would like to help support please donate at www.scottmclean.scot
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February 4th (today)  is World Cancer Day - a day to remember, to shed a tear, to reflect but also to be positive, be brave, be supportive and to fight - a day to get involved and support the research and the fight against cancer.

We all know someone whether a family member or friend who is currently or has been affected by cancer. In November 2012 we lost a dear friend and work colleague Maureen who sadly lost her fight against the disease after a short illness. Maureen left behind wonderful supportive parents and brother as well as a son she adored and supported with everything she could give.

In a way I was fortunate up until that time to not have someone close to me suffer from cancer. Since then though I have tried as best as I can to support and raise awareness to help the fight against this horrible disease. 

Each day around the world thousands of people donate, bake, walk, run, cycle, swim as well as many other activities to help raise money and awareness but even more crucially each day countless partners, relatives, friends and volunteers support and care for people affected by cancer.

I'm going to be blunt at this point - this is the link to the many ways you can support the fight against cancer - I beg you to consider donating via the the linked page or by supporting someone you know who is taking part in a charity event in the coming months. 

There are many types of cancer which need supporting and each has its own awareness and funding challenges but each one all has the same goal - to beat cancer.

​On 29th April 2018 I will once again take part in the Stirling Scottish Marathon - 26.2 miles running in the wonderful scenic Stirling countryside. Sounds exhausting and exciting at the same time plus also rewarding to those that complete the feat. 

A feat that is yes personally rewarding but also a feat that requires mental and physical strength - after 20 miles with just over 6 miles to go it is another 6 miles too far for the body which just wants to give up and stop going forward. 

I'm not exaggerating, 20 miles into a marathon the body is struggling and doesn't want to continue with the final miles - personally it is at that exact moment that in the past I have drawn on the support of the crowd but more importantly drawn on the support of the wonderful people that have donated and supported my efforts with my charity cause.

​This year I have chosen to support Prostate Cancer UK, a disease that will affect 1 in 8 men, kills a man every 45 minutes and is now a bigger killer than Breast Cancer in UK.

With the Men United campaign the awareness of Prostate Cancer has increased in recent years but the funding for the research to help fight this particular type of cancer is less than other well known cancer types. 

​Since I started running and raising money for charities in 2013 the support from family, friends, colleagues and customers has been remarkable and each time I am humbled for the support you give.

Conscious of asking for your support again for charity I do believe though that raising awareness and supporting the fight against Prostate Cancer is worth me asking and pleading for your generosity again. 

Please consider supporting, not my running efforts, but the future research and those currently fighting Prostate Cancer.
Thank You.
Scott

"So you doing any more marathons this year Scott?" was the question from a work colleague as it then suddenly dawned on me that yes I am and that the next one is now less than 4 months away.

After Edinburgh in 2016 and Stirling in 2017 it is once again my home town marathon that I have signed up as I look to complete marathon number 3.

I would like to echo the compliments from Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland in thanking again all the kind people who donated to my Stirling Marathon charity fundraising a few months ago. 

A final word on my Stirling Marathon journey to say thank you to everyone who supported me before and during the event. A special mention though to the kind hearted who donated a total of £600.00 to my chosen charity for the event Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland.

Thank you all.

Article from Stirling Observer newspaper 17th May 2017.

Four weeks to go until my second marathon and the home doorstep event at Stirling.

The inaugural Stirling Scottish Marathon takes place on Sunday 21st May 2017 and my training continued today at the 10 mile Great Edinburgh Run.

Running through the historic streets of Auld Reekie was good preparation for running through the historic streets of Stirling in May.

I appreciate the Stirling Marathon in May is close to home and many local people will be taking part and raising money for worthy charities and each cause is worth supporting.

I am hoping to raise a small amount of money for Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland who support the many people in Scotland who are affected by these conditions.

If you can donate CHSS a few pounds or more it would mean a lot to the charity and help them continue to research and support these illnesses. 

I have a charity page available if you can help. Thank you.

My Stirling Marathon training continued today with another half marathon around the streets of Stirling. 

Even running in the pleasant spring afternoon sunshine there were many emotions I had to go through to run 13.1 miles especially when you know you have to double that distance for the marathon.

It should be noted that I did complete my first marathon in Edinburgh last year so I do know whats it's like to double that distance. (but please don't remind me)

Whether it's physical pain or mental challenges you will experience it all as you start to run those distances. 

In a way I compare it to running a business. 21 years of varying degrees of challenges each week/month - counter balanced by the end game and the many satisfying days of watching your company and employees progress.

To coin a phrase 'when the going gets tough' in running and in business you will at least question what you are doing and at worse feel like giving up when the pressure and pain increases but during that time that is the most vital and important part of your journey, it's at this stage you must muster all the remaining energy you have, you must focus the mind and banish those mind games, it will be tough, it will be tiring, giving up is the easiest solution at this stage. 

But you need to adjust your pace, adjust your focus and concentrate on the vision of the end game, go on -  keep on adjusting your pace and focus, the hurdles are getting easier, the pain is easing, the reward at the end will far outweigh the pain along the way.

Not everyone runs a marathon or runs a business because it's not easy but those that truly know how it will feel at the finish line, how satisfying it will be to watch your employees progress through your company or at the winning of a contract or how proud you will be at your son or daughters weeding day know it will all far outweigh the challenges and the pain you will encounter along the journey BUT importantly you do need to experience the journey along the way to achieve and appreciate the end result. 

I'm happy to offer and help with advice to anyone looking to set up or grow their company. Just get in touch ​

So as the first week of 2017 draws to a close and we all stop talking about the festivities of the last few weeks our minds start to focus on the year ahead and we start to concentrate and work on the steps we need to take to reach the goals we have set for the months ahead.

This very weekend 4 years ago I took my first step(up and around a big hill)  towards one of my 2013 goals which was to lose weight and improve my health by setting a running challenge target in aid of charity. Over the months of 2013 I would take part in numerous 5k and 10k running events in support of various charities which would help and motivate me to reach my goal by the end of that year.

So a dozen official race events later and 3 stone lighter in weight I had achieved my goal by treating each race as taking a small step along the way which when combined would in turn help me achieve this big hairy yearly goal I had set myself.

Similarly last year in 2016 I set my myself a 40th birthday year challenge of taking part and completing my first ever marathon which after achieving smaller training steps and challenges in the many months before the marathon I managed to achieve my goal and complete the Edinburgh marathon.

Whether in business or personal life we need to set ourself various big hairy goals. To achieve the target though we need to break down how we are going to reach our goal by setting smaller achievable targets (mini goals) which when taken lead us to our end big hairy goal.

One of my big hairy goals for 2017 is to complete my second marathon which will be in my home city of Stirling but the only way to achieve that goal is by getting the hard work done in the many months before by setting training targets and achieving the smaller steps through hard work.

No one ever accomplished a big hairy goal by not putting in the hard work and taking smaller steps beforehand. 

Stumbled across this Sunday newspaper article today about Virgin Sports - looks like the company launched by Richard Branson in 2015 is ready to increase its pace in the running and cycling events market.

Mass-participation fitness events have certainly become more popular over the past decade which was highlighted recently in our own area with The Great Run Company launching the Stirling Scottish Marathon event in 2017. 

These events are a crucial way in raising money for charity so with Virgin's not-for-profit fundraising Virgin Money Giving you can expect these two to be closely linked which in turn will hopefully increase the benefit for charities.